This is one of our favorite Australia family vacation packages for families with adult children. It was planned for a family from Toronto celebrating a milestone birthday, mom’s 50th. They wanted to get the highlights of Australia but also go off the beaten path, all while enjoying great beaches.

They began their Australia Family Vacation in Cairns, where they snorkeled at the world-famous Great Barrier Reef, spent a day enjoying Australian beaches, and visited the ancient Daintree Rainforest with an aboriginal guide. Then, they traveled to the west coast gem of Perth, one of Australia’s sunniest and most loved cities.

While in Perth, they took a day trip to the nearby Rottnest Island, a favorite holiday spot for locals. Blessed with a casual atmosphere, picturesque scenery, dazzling marine life, and some of the world’s finest beaches, Rottnest Island is Western Australia’s very own island getaway. They also walked through King’s Park, the largest city park in the world, with a local aboriginal guide.

They wanted to finish their Australia Family Vacation in 2 of Australia’s most famed cities. So we sent them to Melbourne, which offers eclectic culture, fabulous shopping, and world-famous dining and coffee. While in Melbourne, they toured the lanes and arcades that make the city so unique, then spent a day wine tasting in the scenic Yarra Valley.

They ended their Australia Family Vacation in iconic Sydney. Here, they took a bicycle tour of the city and spent plenty of time at Sydney’s fabulous beaches. They also spent an afternoon cruising Sydney Harbour on a private yacht with one of our favorite touring companies. During the cruise, they enjoyed a delicious lunch with local wines and went swimming at their leisure, all with a unique and magnificent view of the Sydney skyline.

Day 1 Arrive at Cairns, the world famous gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Your hotel is well located to walk and explore.Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

Day 2 Today is a magical experience as you explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Barrier Reef, with Silverswift Cruises. Your full-day snorkeling trip will take you to several locations on the reef where you will have plenty of opportunities to swim amongst the colorful sea life and magnificent coral that makes this one of the top diving destinations in the world. Diving options and scenic helicopter flights are also available.Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

Day 3 Today is a full day out with your highly qualified and knowledgeable guide to travel in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle into the heart of one of the oldest rainforests in the world, the Daintree Rainforest, with Australian Wild Escapes. Seek out wildlife and birdlife unique to the region, and cruise along the Daintree River before seeking out the deepest part of the rainforest. You’ll also visit where the rainforest meets the reef, feeling like Robinson Crusoe as you step onto the lonely sand with rainforest canopy overhead. A wonderful lunch is included with your tour.Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

Day 4 Time to say goodbye to your tropical paradise and head west to Australia’s most isolated city, Perth. Perth has great weather and fabulous beaches, with more hours of sunshine than any other Australian capital city. Full of museums, parks, and shopping arcades, Perth is great for off-the-beaten-track urban touring and for getting into the countryside for fine wines, eco-tours, and river cruising.The Richardson Hotel & Spa Perth

Day 5 Spend the day exploring one of the locals’ favorite getaways. Located 25 minutes by ferry off the coast from Perth, Rottnest Island is a great day tripping destination. Rent bikes and explore the island, relax at one Australia’s best beaches, and see the quokka, a rare marsupial only found on Rottnest Island.The Richardson Hotel & Spa Perth

Day 6 You have today at leisure to explore Perth. Join a guided aborginal bushtucker tour through the vast Kings Park in the city, sail on the river, or explore the charming sister city of Fremantle. Fremantle and Perth beaches are some of the most relaxed and uncrowded in Australia.The Richardson Hotel & Spa Perth

Day 7 Today, enjoy a flight over to Melbourne, Australia’s “second city” and the hub of chic style and delicious food. Explore the café culture and the beaches of St. Kilda. You can also take a relaxing day being pampered in a spa, make the scenic drive along Australia’s Great Ocean Road, delight in the sight of little blue penguins in their natural habitat, visit Healesville Sanctuary to pet a koala and feed a kangaroo, or take a helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles.Crown Towers Melbourne

Day 8 A day of indulgence awaits you as you head off to Australia’s most scenic wine region, Yarra Valley, with the Australian Wine Tour Company. A visit to the iconic Domaine Chandon will begin your day, followed by stops at smaller production vineyards, such as Yering Station and Yering Farm. Lunch is a true culinary delight at the delicious restaurant at Rochford Wines. If time allows, visits to local breweries and artisan cheese makers are also a possibility.Crown Towers Melbourne

Day 9 Melbourne is known as an “underground” city, and after a short walking tour with Hidden Secrets Tours, you will begin to see why. Although many of these streets may be well known, not all their wonders are easy to find. Discover local designers and specialty retailers that often are only found in the city.Crown Towers Melbourne

Day 10 A short flight brings you to Sydney. Cosmopolitan and well landscaped, Sydney is a feast for the eyes with plenty to offer any type of traveler. Your 5-star hotel is just minutes from Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. It offers the best views of Sydney Harbour from a hotel room and is perfect for a first-time visitor.InterContinental Sydney

Day 11 Today, you’ll join a small group as you cycle around Sydney’s major sites with Bonza Bike Tours, who will introduce you to the historical and social parts of Sydney. Your expert guide will escort you to the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour, Darling Harbour, the Royal Botanic Gardens (including the Flying Foxes), Hyde Park, the Anzac War Memorial, Chinatown, Sydney Tower Eye, Parliament House, Queen Victoria Building, and plenty more great attractions. Stop at a pub for a pint at the half-way point through this 4-hour tour, or for a soda and ice cream if you have a children.InterContinental Sydney

Day 12 Cruise on the famous Sydney Harbour with a local guide, our mate Shawn, on his private yacht. Your 4-hour Sensational Sydney Cruise includes a gourmet lunch, wines, and ample time for a swim at one of Sydney’s beautiful beaches. You can also drop a line over the side of the boat to go fishing, or try kayaking in the calm waters.InterContinental Sydney

Day 13 Head to the airport today to catch your flight back home. Leave with memories to last a lifetime knowing that you have experienced some of the best of the land Down Under!

Crown Towers Melbourne

Australian Wine Tour Company

Hidden Secrets Tours

Bonza Bike Tours

Sensational Sydney Cruises

3 nights Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

3 nights The Richardson Hotel & Spa, Perth

3 nights Crown Towers Melbourne

3 nights InterContinental Sydney

Silverswift Cruises – Great Barrier Reef snorkeling cruise

Australian Wild Escapes – Full-day Daintree Rainforest tour

Rottnest Island tour

Australian Wine Tour Company – Yarra Valley wine tour

Hidden Secrets Tours – Lanes and Arcades tour

Bonza Bike Tours – Sydney bike tour

Sensational Sydney Cruises – Sydney Harbour lunch cruise

5 lunches

Private airport transfers

For a quintessential Sydney dining experience, enjoy the views from the roofdeck of the Customs House at Cafe Sydney. The outdoor terrace offers fabulous views of the harbour and the menu will delight with traditional Australian cuisine. Or visit in the afternoon for a drink to soak up the sun and watch the activity at Circular Quay! -Jill, Down Under Endeavours

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Is a Great Barrier Reef dive on your bucket list? As of June 2017, a new law in the state of Queensland may affect you. This safety law requires a Dive Medical for Great Barrier Reef divers with certain health conditions, whether they’re certified or doing an intro dive. The law does not apply to Read More…